New York Day 4 - 9/11 Memorial

 On the 11th September 2001 the United States of America came under terrorist attack when four airliners were highjacked and used to target New York and Washington DC. Two planes struck the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre in New York, one the Pentagon in Washington DC, with the remaining plane crashing in Somerset County Pennsylvania as a result of passengers foiling the hijackers. 

New York - Twin Towers under attack

New York - Firefighters head for Twin Towers

Washington - Pentagon under attack

Somerset County Pennsylvania - Flight 93

The National September 11 Memorial commemorates the 2,977 people killed during the terrorist attacks of September 11 2001 and the 6 people killed in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. The memorial is formed as twin pools located in the footprint of the North and South Towers of the World Trade Centre which was destroyed on 9/11. Around the walls of the pools are a record of those lost in the World Trade Centre New York, the Pentagon in Washington, and on Flight 93 which crashed in Pennsylvania. 

New York National 9/11 Memorial

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September 11th 2023 would be the 22nd anniversary of 9/11. On the 10th September tributes were left to remember those lost ahead of the National Service of Remembrance on the 11th.

New York 9/11 Commemoration Tributes

Father Michael Judge served as a chaplain to the New York City Fire Department. He was killed on September 11 in the North Tower when he was hit with debris from the South Tower collapsing. He was the first certified fatality of the September 11 attacks.

Father Michael Judge FDNY

9/11 Memorial - Father Michael Judge FDNY

9/11 Memorial - Father Michael Judge FDNY

Firefighter George C Cain served with the FDNY 8th Battalion Ladder 7. On 9/11 he and his team were in the Marriot Hotel evacuating people when the South Tower collapsed, the debris killing George and many of his compatriots within the Marriot.

George C Cain FDNY

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9/11 Memorial - VM lays tribute to George Cain

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9/11 Memorial - George C Cain

9/11 Memorial - George C Cain

On 11th September 2001 highjacked Flight 77 flew into the west wall of the Pentagon in Washington DC killing 125 people as well as the 64 on board. 

Flight 77 strikes the Pentagon 11th September 2001

Of those lost in the Pentagon, the US Navy lost 33 sailors, the US Army 22 soldiers, the remaining 70 casualties being civilian personnel. As well as a memorial at the Pentagon remembering those killed on 9/11, thier names are recorded on the National 9/11 Memorial in New York.

9/11 Memorial - Pentagon Personnel

Flight 93 was highjacked by terrorists on September 11th who intended to fly it into a into a federal government building in Washington, D.C. The operation failed when the passengers fought back. The passangers attempted to storm the cockpit and retake the plane. Their actions forced the terrorists to crash the plane in a field in Somerset County Pennsylvania. The terrorist action was thwarted but resulted in everyone aboard the flight being killed.

Flight 93 - 9/11

The last recorded words of passenger Todd Beamer, an Oracle account manager before he and other passengers attempted to retake the plane from the hijackers were "Lets Roll". 

A memorial to those killed on Flight 93 is located at the crash site in Sumerson County, Pennsylvania. Thier names are also recorded on the National 9/11 Memorial in New York.

9/11 Memorial - Flight 93

Todd Beamer

9/11 Memorial - Flight 93 Todd Beamer

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9/11 Memorial - VM

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The commemorative flower tributes were a welcome treat for the 9/11 Memorial's squirrel population. 

New York 2019 - World Trade Centre Sphere

World Trade Centre Twin Towers
Sphere

The Sphere is a sculpture that one stood between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre in New York. It was commissioned by the owners of the Twin Towers, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The 52 panels of the sculpture formed the Globe as a symbol of world trade. 

World Trade Centre Twin Towers
Sphere

On the 11th September 2001, 9/11, the attacks on the Twin Towers using hijacked airliners resulted in their collapse.

The Sphere survived the collapse of both Towers relatively un-damaged. It was recovered from the ruins of ground Zero and placed in storage.
 

World Trade Centre Twin Towers
Sphere Ground Zero

World Trade Centre Twin Towers
Sphere Ground Zero

World Trade Centre Twin Towers
Sphere Ground Zero

Six months after 9/11 it was erected in Battery Park as a monument to remember those lost in athe attack on the World Trade Centre. An eternal flame burnt along side the Sphere.

New York 2016
The Sphere  and Entrnal Flame
Battery Park NYC

 In August 2017, the Sphere was moved to it's present location in Liberty Park which overlooks Ground Zero. It was unveiled on the 6th September 2017.

New York 2019
The Sphere and One World Trade Centre

New York 2019
VM and The Sphere Liberty Park

New York 2019
The Sphere Liberty Park

New York 2019 - Ground Zero

At 08:46 Eastern Standard Time on 11th September 2001 hijackers crashed American Airlines Flight 11 into the North Tower of the World Trade Centre in New York. Seven minutes later at 09:03 EST, the South tower was struck by United Airlines Flight 175.

The impact of the aircraft on both towers had weakened the load bearing structures and the intense fires from the jet fuel caused the floors to weaken as well. The effect was the structures failed. At 9:59 the South Tower collapsed after burning for 56 minutes. The North Tower collapsed after burning for 102 minutes at 10:28.

The devastated site of the Twin Towers became known as Ground Zero.  

 To commemorate 9/11 and remember those lost, Ground Zero is now  memorial plaza with two pools built in the actual footprint of the Twin Towers


New York 2019
Ground Zero from World Trade Centre Hotel

Overlooking Ground Zero is One World Trade Centre, built as a replacement for the Twin Towers.

New York 2019
Ground Zero and One World Trade Centre Hotel

New York 2019
Ground Zero and One World Trade Centre Hotel

The tops of the walls surrounding the two memorial pools contain the names of those lost in the attack on the World Trade Centre on 11th September 2001, 295 on the hijacked planes, 2,606 in the World Trade Centre, and 6 killed in an earlier bombing of the WTC in 1993. 

New York 2019
Ground Zero and World Trade Centre Hotel

New York 2019
Ground Zero and The Oculus

  9/11 Memorial

 

Ground Zero - 9/11 Memorial



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9/11 Memorial George C. Cain

 

Fire Department New York First Responder George C Cain from Ladder 7 which is based on Douane Street at the end of Brooklyn Bridge. Firefighter Cain was one of 343 members if the FDNY who lost their lives in the World Trade Centres.
 

New York 2019
Ground Zero - George C Cain

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9/11 Memorial Todd M. Beamer

 

Todd Beamer was an account manager for Oracle Corporation and was one of the passengers on Flight 93 who tried to regain control of the hijacked aeroplane form the terrorists. As a result of their action Flight 93 was not able to reach it's intended target in Washington DC, crashing into the ground in Pennsylvania. 

New York 2019
Ground Zero - Todd M Beamer

New York 2019
Ground Zero - Todd M Beamer

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In October 2001 a severely damaged tree was found in the rubble of Ground Zero. Whilst it had been burned, it's branches broken, and roots  snapped, there was a one branch still alive. The tree was recovered and placed in the care of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. The Department brought the tree back to life and in 2010 was re-planted in the 9/11 Memorial.It became known as the 'Survivor Tree'

 

New York 2019
Ground Zero - Survivor Tree

New York 2019
Ground Zero - Survivor Tree VM and IJ